Best vs the Rest: Best Supermarket Single Malt Whiskies Compared

Best vs the Rest is our Lifehacker UK series where we rate the best products and services so you don't have to spend time and money finding out for yourself.

Whisky is glorious stuff – but I didn’t always think so. It was only when I turned 30 that suddenly I acquired a taste for this most varied and rewarding of spirits, but I’ve been making up for lost time since, exploring the wonderful world of whisky in my podcast, Scotch.

Often when it comes up in conversation – especially with men in their early thirties – people will say they think they should ‘get into whisky’, but they don’t know where to start.

It can be confusing, many have had bad experiences with cheap whisky at university, and if they bother to research at all, people see that even common brand-name whiskies ain’t cheap – so picking the wrong one could be an expensive mistake.

Happily, supermarket own-brand whiskies have become genuinely good buys recently, and at usually around £21 for a bottle they’re a good way to see if your palette is ready for whisky. Or if, like me, you’re a committed whisky enthusiast, buying one of these cheaper whiskies to distract yourself with is a good way of making your good Yamazaki, Balvenie or Laphroaig last much longer!

So join me in a dram as we test nine single malt whiskies from the UK’s biggest supermarkets.

How We Compared Them

The first decision was to focus on single malt whiskies. Traditionally, ‘single malt’ is a shorthand for ‘a good whisky’ even though its technical definition is nothing to do with quality – it just happens that good whiskies are usually single malts. (The other main kind of whisky is a blend, but while this technique is commonly used for cheap whiskies such as Bell’s and Grant’s, it can be used for everything from affordable ‘premium blends’ such as Monkey Shoulder or for stunning, complex whiskies such as my beloved Hibiki.)

Most of the four big supermarkets – Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – do two different styles of single malt: Highland and Speyside. Typically, Highland is the classic, ur-whisky, while Speyside (a smaller region within the ‘boundaries’ of the Highland area, with a particularly high density of distilleries) usually produces lighter, sweeter whiskies. It’s common for people to start with Speyside, move on to Highland and then finally start on Islay whiskies when they’re older.

Only Waitrose does an Islay-style own-brand single malt. These whiskies are usually a bit more challenging, with salty, marine overtones and a hint of antiseptic cream on the nose – as well as the smokiness they’re famous for.

To test, I assembled a panel, ensuring different palettes were represented in order that my particular preference for Speyside-style whiskies wouldn’t influence the outcome.

Best Supermarket Whisky

Gold medal: Waitrose Islay (£30)

This is an utterly accomplished whisky. Of all of the supermarket single malts on test here, it’s the one that could most easily pass itself off as a branded whisky. Although there’s the smokiness you’d expect from an Islay-style whisky, it’s restrained and elegant; it complements the subtle sweetness rather than fighting with it. It’s a little like Johnnie Walker Black Label but actually a little more refined and crisp.

To be sure, if you’re making a first nervous foray into whisky you should probably opt instead for one of the other two below, but if you’re looking either for a very gentle introduction to Islays or just a hugely enjoyable whisky with a lovely long finish, this is the whisky for you. I’m not usually a fan of Islays, but there’s no denying this is a superb dram. Score: ★★★★★

Silver medal: Tesco Speyside (£21)

Cracking bottle, isn’t it? Happily, what’s inside it is just as pretty. Surprisingly rich for a Speyside whisky, this is nevertheless a bottle I’d happily settle down with for an evening. There’s a real cinnamon spiced warmth here, but it’s still light enough not to scare people off – and it’s nearly a third cheaper than the Waitrose Islay. Score: ★★★★☆

Bronze medal: Waitrose Highland (£32)

While it was clear Waitrose’s Islay should win, it was really hard to decide which way round to list the silver and bronze. There’s basically nothing in it, and in fact I preferred this Highland to Tesco’s Speyside. It’s got a complexity and length of finish that you probably wouldn’t associate with a supermarket own-brand whisky (though of course, these whiskies are likely made on behalf of rather than directly by the supermarkets) and it’s hugely rewarding to drink from the first sip till you drain the glass. However it is expensive – the priciest here – and it’s a bit of a tough ask to have someone pick up this bottle rather than reaching for the comfort and familiarity of a Glenlivet, say. Still, it’s also the oldest here at 16 years, and that length of time in the barrel really shows in its polished, rounded and virtuoso finish. Score: ★★★★☆

The Also-Rans

Asda Highland (£20.50)

The two whiskies from Asda distinguished themselves by smelling and tasting exactly what someone who thinks supermarket whiskies are probably rubbish would assume a supermarket whisky would smell and taste like. You’d never guess this was a single malt whisky; from the very first sniff you’d swear it was a cheap blend. In fact, it would be the worst whisky here if not for its stablemate. Score: ★★☆☆☆

Asda Speyside (£20.50)

Dear god, no. Just, no. It’s off to a bad start even before you open the bottle; the label proudly proclaims it has ‘light, syrupy sweet aromas’ and those are adjectives that should never really be used to describe a whisky. And sure enough, it’s cloyingly sweet and one-dimensional, as well as having the same cheap hit of acetone and chemicals on the nose as the Highland. It’s no coincidence it’s nearly full in the photo below. This is going straight into the kitchen. Score: ★☆☆☆☆

Sainsbury’s Highland (£21)

A perfectly decent whisky. Some sophistication, but it’s a little astringent and it doesn’t linger on the palette for very long. Score: ★★★☆☆

Sainsbury’s Speyside (£21)

Soft, elegant and light, this is a stellar beginner’s whisky, and if you can’t easily get to a Tesco to get its Speyside which gets the silver medal above, don’t be too upset. Sure, the Tesco one is just that little bit gentler and more approachable, but unless you know better – unless, that is, you have tasted more expensive whiskies and can see that there are still some rough edges and a comparative lack of layers and nuance here – you’d be perfectly happy with this dram. Score: ★★★★☆

Tesco Highland (£21)

Next to the Speyside from Tesco, this both looks and tastes a little crude. Like the Sainsbury’s Highland next to the Sainsbury’s Speyside, it’s pedestrian. Perfectly drinkable, to be sure, but just not as refined. It’s comparatively blunt flavour and low price would make it a good whisky to buy for cocktails, but there are better bottles here for sipping. Score: ★★★☆☆

Waitrose Speyside (£29)

It’s probably no surprise that the last single malt from Waitrose is also excellent. It’s actually a very odd Speyside, in as much as it has a very dark colour and it has a surprisingly heavy and highly woody, dry flavour. It’s actually superb, but just not quite like a typical Speyside, which tends to be light both in flavour and in appearance. Plus, it’s the cheapest of the Waitrose whiskies, so so long as you know what you’re buying it’s actually really, really worth a punt. Score: ★★★★☆

Final thoughts

You would be forgiven for thinking that supermarket own-brand whiskies are going to taste cheap and nasty – you get what you pay for, right? Well, no. Only those whiskies from Asda were genuinely unpleasant, and for basically the same price you could have the Tesco Speyside that’s a delight. And if you add on another few quid you can get Waitrose’s Islay single malt which is not just a great introduction to Islay and a terrific whisky all-round, but which absolutely holds its own among some of the heritage brands on the shelves. So go on, buy a bottle, whether you’re new to whisky or you’re an aficionado who’s never given own-brand single malts a second glance. Slàinte mhath! (That’s ‘good health’ in Gaelic!)